November 12-13 of this year is National Donor Sabbath for organ donations. Today, more than 100,000 people in the US need a life saving organ-transplant. For those waiting for that gift of life, the uncertainty can be excruciating, exacting a physical and emotional toll on the potential recipient and their loved ones. For all who can, you are encouraged to become organ, eye, tissue, marrow, and blood donors. In doing so, you honor those who have given this most extraordinary of gifts.
Last year, our nation’s transplant experts performed more than 41,000 organ transplants – a record number! Organ donations from deceased donors set an annual record for the 11th consecutive year.
Living donor transplants, which decreased significantly in 2020 due to the pandemic, increase with over 6,000 living donor transplants performed.
Despite the progress, the US continues to face a critical shortage of organ donors and 17 people die every day while on the waiting list for donations. Today’s transplant waitlist includes more than 1,900 children.
Waitlist data also shows that people of color make up nearly 60% of those awaiting a transplant. The US government has recommitted to promoting greater diversity in organ donation, as advancements in health equity for all communities, including those that have gone underserved.
Every year, nearly 18,000 Americans are diagnosed with life-threatening blood cancers or other diseases for which a blood stem cell transplant may be their best or only hope for a cure.
Approximately 70% of these individuals need donors from outside their families. While transplantation continues to increase substantially and meet the needs of people with organ failure, we must continue
our efforts to shorten the waiting list and encourage organ donation. If you have not already, sign up at organdonor.gov for organ, eye and tissue donation, and bloodstemcell.hrsa.gov for marrow and blood donation.
- Every donor can save 8 lives and enhance 75 more
- Every 9 minutes a person is added to the transplant wait list
- Sadly, only 3 in 1000 people die is a way that allows for deceased organ donations
- There are currently more than 105,000 people on the US waitlist; nearly 22,000 live in CA
- Anyone can become a potential donor regardless of age, ethnicity, or medical history
- An average of 22 patients die each day while waiting, simply because the organ then needed was not donated in time
- A living donor can provide a kidney or portion of their liver, lung, pancreas or intestine to someone in need
***Be more than a little pink dot on your driver’s license***
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